Duo found guilty of torturing pajama-clad Queens man in shakedown for drugs

Two tormenters were found guilty Monday of subjecting a Queens man to a terrifying shakedown for drugs and cash.

After hearing the victim's tale of being pistol-whipped, branded by a clothing iron, having his face smashed with a glass and enduring an attempted waterboarding, Brooklyn federal jurors on Monday convicted Michael Crumble and Ramell Markus.

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Prosecutors said the pair teamed up with a third man — who has already pleaded guilty — to torture a drug dealer and make him cough up money and narcotics.

During last week's trial, the third man, Tyrone Burch, testified he used the hot iron on Daniel Nieves. The victim testified Markus smacked him with the butt of his gun and threw a glass in his face after pouring water on him.

Michael Crumble (l.) and Ramell Markus kidnapped drug dealer Daniel Nieves, pistol-whipped him, and burned him with a clothing iron. (U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York)

In a dramatic courthouse moment, Nieves, 34, showed jurors scars on his arms caused by the iron.

The trio nabbed the pajama-clad Nieves around midnight on Dec. 18, 2017 and drove him to a Brooklyn apartment, where most of the violence happened, before taking him to a hotel room.

Markus was after a package of drugs thought to be fentanyl, Nieves said of his eight-hour ordeal.

A burn created by a hot iron after the victim was kidnapped.

Nieves relented after the second iron burn, giving up drugs and about $11,500.

Markus, 35, stared ahead, wide-eyed, as he heard the verdict. Crumble, 34, blew kisses to supporters in the audience once jurors left.

Brooklyn U.S. Attorney Richard Donoghue said the men "abducted the victim and took him to a location in Brooklyn that became a torture chamber, where he was beaten and burned with a hot iron in an attempt to extract drugs, money and information to settle a drug dispute."